An Insight into Direct Part Marking Technology

Direct part marking is growing popular in various business sectors for its various uses in marking the items. With this method, the barcode is directly imprinted on the products, subassemblies and materials. Although, DPM is primarily used by the civil industries, of late, the process is being used by varieties of companies. The increasing popularity of direct part marking is due to its numerous advantages, reduced implementation cost as compared to its previous generation, and availability on universal scanning.

Use of Direct Part Marking

Direct part marking is used in many fields such as aircraft, automotive, electronic, armament, pharmaceutical and medical industry, petrochemical, train transport, etc. The logistics and manufacturing enterprises also prefer the item marking technology to support item management and shipment traffic control. The outcome of implementing direct part marking includes more efficient product management and documentation along with goods traffic. The technology also allows enhanced manufacture and dispatch of the items. It is an efficient method of the objects starting from their production or acquisition to maintenance and withdrawal.

Benefits of Direct Part Marking

Durability

Convenience of reading 2D barcode

Convenience of keeping large quantity of data in small area

Suitable for using on different material such as glass, metals and plastics

Eliminating machine and human errors

Easy object identification

With fully automated marking it improves work efficiency

Reduced operating cost

Available option for product serialization

Quick implementation of technology

Method of Direct Part Marking

The direct part marking methods include grooving, engraving, burning, etching and painting. The method is selected according to the implementation cost, material for marking and reading technology.

UID Registry Submission- Requirements for UID Compliance

The requirements of UID Registry for the UID compliance of data are the must-know for the contractors while submitting the data to UID Registry.

According to the Department of Defense the data of the UID marking for the items should be submitted to the UID Registry. UID Registry is repository of UID data that can be accessed by the DoD personnel to keep track of the items. However, it is also crucial that the contractors, while submitting the data, should ensure that the data comply with the UID standards. The correct and complete data of the item UID plays a key role in the item management and item tracking process of the DoD.

The UID Registry standards check numerous factors of the UID data to accept or reject the data submitted by the contractors. If the markings match their requirements, they’ll accept it otherwise reject it.

Marking of Item with Unique Identification

After the DoD assigns each item with a unique identification, the UIDs of the items are etched on the items or the labels that is affixed to the item. The UID Registry is particular about the compliance of the UID data with the UID standards. Hence, it is mandatory that UID data should be entered as 2D data matrix code and be in accordance with the MIL-STD-130 criteria. Whether the barcode is entered with direct part marking or as UID labels, they play a key role while submitting the UID data to the UID Registry. Any item, be it government furnished property, DoD qualifying deliverables or property under possession of the contractors should be marked with UID before they are submitted to UID Registry.

Verification of the Marking

At the time of UID data submission to the UID Registry, the DoD feels the significance of verifying the marking of the items and the labels for their acceptability. The UID Registry standards of marking verification are based on the marking technology or procedure (direct part marking or application of UID labels) and the marking formats (Construct #1 and Construct #2) in which the 2D data matrix codes are entered.

Validation of Data

It the ISO 15434 requirements that decides the validation of UID data and marking. Starting from the accuracy of data the standard requires accurate syntax and formatting of the 2D data matrix code including the identifier, serial number and other required codes.

Scanning of the UID data

The essential business practice needs scanning of UID data before the items are taken into custody. The UID Registry also mandates the scanning of UID data provided by the contractors to check their validity.

UID Registry Submission

The MIL-STD-130 has mandated that the contractors should submit the UID data to UID Registry either directly or through the WAWF. Registering into the UID Registry is the important step for the contractors before the submission of data to UID Registry.

Item tracking and Location of the Item

All the UID qualified items are tracked to a specific location. The UID marking of the items helps to access the item information which enhances accuracy of reporting. Although the step is not an essential part of UID Registry submission process, it is an essential part of error-free item management process.

Advantages of Inkjet and Laser part marking

What is inkjet part marking?

Inkjet part marking is a type of direct product marking (DPM) technologies. Direct part marking is a 2-dimensional barcode which gives lifetime traceability for components. These codes might look very small but it contains all the vital information about a product. As the codes are machine readable, any possible human error is removed. Even though so many direct part marking methods available, the inkjet part marking technique is largely used in the aerospace, electronics, automotive, lumber, home building products, food, medical and packaging industries. As compared to some other means of park marking, inkjet part marking provides better resistant for long duration. This marking produces the best quality marks possible on most building products.

For better part traceability; permanent standard barcodes, serial numbers and 2D barcode of any specific product is imprinted by the high quality inkjet part marking technique. The ink used in this of part marking is of very high quality is durable to high temperatures, water and chemical solvents. The printing is suitable for any kind of surface be it plastics, metals or glass. This part marking technique is safe to use as the process does not penetrate on the surface of the material. Hence there is no chance of damage of the material.

However with the Industrial manufacturing requirements for indelible direct part marking containing machine vision codes are growing exponentially another advanced technology based technique, laser marking method is gaining popularity these days over the conventional inkjet part marking method.

Laser marking and its advantage

As per the UID compliance norms, the tracking of every defense related product starting from day of its manufacturing until its entire life is enabled by the direct part marking process. There are many factors which contribute to the use of direct part marking. They are highlighted as follows.

• The increasing requirements for component traceability and product unique identification (UID)
• The favorable economics of high-performance, lightweight engineering plastics parts replacing traditionally more expensive metal parts
• The indelible, high-resolution alphanumeric and machine vision codes which the direct part marking produces

The latest laser marking process is the digital process technology used for part marking. Laser marking is ideal for products especially 3D plastic products as the process yields high-contrast indelible markings and does not require consumables or curing, thus making it less expensive. This method of marking is also very useful for micro-marking when there is limited surface area on a product. Alphanumeric, logos, or schematic diagrams; all can be printed even in the smallest size machine vision codes. The inkjet part marking (those done with Non-indelible inkjet) can’t achieve fine-line edge resolution, which is essential for machine vision, especially on small parts. As per the UID mandate, all items are required to be 100% human or machine readable irrespective of the size and complexity details of the actual marking. This is where laser marking has an advantage over the inkjet part marking.

Apart from the DoD military requirements, manufacturers of many commercial industrial products ranging from automotive, pharmaceutical, and packaging to electronic and consumer goods now aggressively into implementing this latest form of marking method.